Wa flogging: Human Rights Reporters Ghana disapproves of public lashing of two lovers
The Human Rights Reporters Ghana in a press release has expressed an unfavorable view towards the recent flogging incident involving a couple in Wa, Upper West region of Ghana.
The event that caused a stir on social media has got many talking and the HRRG, is the latest to add its voice to it.
Read the release below:
For immediate release
June 3rd, 2022
To All Media Houses
HRRG DISAPPROVES OF PUBLIC LASHING OF TWO LOVERS IN WA
The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) with shock has sighted the very disturbing and traumatic video of the public lashing of a young man and woman believed to be lovers by some irate youth at the forecourt of the Wa Naa's palace in Wa in the Upper West Region as reported by Graphic Online on May 31, 2022.
As an Organisation that seeks to advance human rights, peace and justice as well as enhance the welfare of all and sundry especially women, girls and children in the country, the HRRG outrightly condemns this backward, barbaric and inhumane treatment of citizens which is in absolute contravention with Ghana's penal code for conducts and crimes of any sort.
We hereby state categorically that such public floggings have no place in the country Ghana and for that matter anywhere in the world. This does nothing but openly dehumanizes the victims and affects their mental health in the long run.
The monstrous lashing of the couple amounts to a gross human rights violation as spelt out in Ghana's 1992 Constitution article 15 which calls for the respect for human dignity.
15. (1) The dignity of all persons shall be inviolable.
(2) No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, restricted or retained, be subjected to—
(a) torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
(b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from his dignity and worth as a human being.
We applaud the Ghana Police Service in their swift response in effecting some arrests and hope the perpetrators are made to face the full rigors of the law, as a testament to the fact that Ghana is governed by the rule of law where no custom, by-law or religious rule supersedes that of the state.
We call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to decry and eschew the practices of meting out instant justice as we advise the appropriate state institutions to offer these victims the needed psychological care possible.
Thank you.
Signed
Joseph Kobla Wemakor
Executive Director
Tel: 0243676813
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